Cutting by means of the oxyacetylene or other suitable jet process



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' A. GODFFY CUTTING BY MEANS OF THE OXYACETYLENE OR OTHER SUITBLE JET PRGESS Filed March 1925 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jule y A. GODFREY CUTTING BYMMEANS OF THE OXYACETYLENE 0R OTHER SUITABLE JET PROCESS Filed MaFCh 38, 1925 7 SheetSwSheet 2 Afin 27 w26. 3953?@@33 A. GODFREY CUTTING BY MEANS OFTHE OXYACETYLENE OR OTHER SUITABLE JET PROCESS' Filed March 28, w25 7 sheets-sheet s Amin 2T w26., 115mm@ A A. GDFFEY CUTTING BY MEANS OF THE OXYACETYLENE-OR OTHER SUITABLE JET PROCESS Filed March 2S, 1925 '7 Sheets-Shen 4 @Mmmm S i s R, fb a ffm/Emmi? Op f y I K7@ Mmm/EY prl 2? 1926.

A. Gom-'REY '582,033

CUTTING BY MEANS OF THE OXYACETYLENE OR OTHER SUITABLE JET PROCESS Filed March 2B, 1925 7 She'ets-Sneer. 5

v .//Wf/Wof/Q l A. GQDFREY 'CUTTING BY MEANS 0F THE OXYAOETYLENP. 0R OTHER SUITABLE JETKPROCESS Filed March 28, 1925 7 :engem-sheet he A. @www CUTTING `BY MEANSMOF THE XYAGETYLENE- OR OTHER SUTABLE JET PROCESS Pz'ed March 28, 1925 '7 Sheets-Sht '7 Patented pr. 27, 1926. l .Y

narran stares insana .ALFRED GODFREY, OE VOOD'GREEN, LONDON, ENGLAND.

CUTTING BY MEANSOF THE QXYACETYLENEOR OTHER SUITABLE JET PROCESS.

Application filed March 2S, 1.925. Serial Iil'o. 19,100.

To all whom. t may concern:

Be it knoivn that ALFRED Germani', a British subject, residing at The Godfrey .Engineering ldforks, Boundary Road, Wood Green, London, England, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cutting by Means vof the Oxyacetylene or Other Suitable J et Processes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cutting by means of oxyacetylene or other suitable gases.

The principal object of the invention is to provide improved mea-ns of feeding a blowpipe along predetermined irregular contours or curves at an even speed.

The invention comprises the combination of means to support the blow-pipe at a con stant distance from the surface of the Work- `piece to be cut with a feeding and guiding device comprising a guiding pin or roller, a concentric feeding roller, a templet against which the guiding member is adapted to bear and a surface approximately equidistant at all points from the path set by the templet and engaged by the feeding roller, together with means causing pressure to be applied against the contacting surfaces of the guiding member and the feed roller so that each is pressed against its path. An in'iportant novelty of the invention from one aspect lies in the combination of a guiding surface and a feeding surface, a. guiding member setting the .path followed by the blmv pipe and a resilient, or elastic enpanding roller or its equivalent, serving both to feed the guiding member along itsv path and `by means of its resilience or elasticity to press the guiding member against its path.

another aspect ofthe invention comprises a device including a feeding roller, a guide member having a contact surface and axially spaced from the feeding roller, a templet having guiding and feeding surfaces facing towards one another and spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the radius of the feeding roller, (after allowing for the distance of the guiding surface from the centre-i. e. preferably half the thickness of the eut) and resilient means to press the feeding roller and the contact surface of the guide member cach against the appropriate surface. The invention also comprises an improved forni of templet and generally the improved features, combinations and arrangements embodied in the preferred forms of the apparatus hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

rlhe invention is applicable to the general types of jet cutting machine of my own iuvention having a jointed frame carrying the blowpipe and guiding and feeding devices above the blowpipe and vertically above the cut-ting et or alternatively having a carriage freely movable on slides in two perpendicular directions, but it is not confined to its ap plication to any particular machine, and may form the essential feature of a more simple machine.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating various practical applications of the invention Fig. lA is an elevation, and

Fig. 2 a plan of a jet cutting machine.

Figs. 8 and l show the feed device and blowpipe mounting to an enlarged scale.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively an elevation and a plan of an alternative form of machine. A V Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are an end and front elevation and a plan respectively of a form of machine able to deal with longer cuts: this form has been designed with the possibility in view of performing heavy cuts on thick plates in situ as Well as providing a particularly convenient machine for use in shipyards, dockyards and the like.

Figs. 10, 11 and l2 are corresponding views of a somewhat similar machine.

Figs. 13, lll and l5 show details of the feed device applied to the machines illustrated in Figs. 5 to i2.

Fig. 16 shoivs in detail the feed lustrated in Figs. 3 and 4l.

Referring first to the form shown in Figs. l to Li, a base l supports a column 2 to which is pivot-ed a jointed arm 3. In other forms the arm may be mounted from a. carriage movable on a single or on compound slides. ylhe jointed arm carries at its end the blowpipe head 4l, to which it permits free motion approximately parallel to the surface of the Worllr. vertically above the blowpipe head is mounted a guiding pin or freely revolving roller G which may be interchangeable to s1 t the width of cut produced by the jet cutting metal of different thiclmesses device il or to allow a margin for grinding or ma? shining. member and eoiieentrie therewith is iiionnted aI feeding roller generally designated F and including an upper flange (3, an intermediate cylindrical `pad 'i' of rubber or the like, a loose lower itl-ange S, and a nut 9 iipona Sereni-ed portion oli the driving apindle l0 so arranged that upoii tightening the nut 9 up against the lower flange 8, -tliei-'ubber (or other material with suitable properties) is coinpreeeed between the upper and `the "lower iiange and bulgeS out -to give a resilient drivingl Contact'. `Fllie drivin roller is normally, but not necessarily, larger than tliegfiiidiiig roller'aiid may advantageously be'tliree'or four times the'dianietei' of the ."i-itter when the normal Straight-sided teni plet ie ei'iii'ployed uitli the guiding' roller on top. lllhen a. lined pin is' need in plazo of the roller, it iS` preferably iiiz'ide-intereliangigeable with other pine olif different diameters according to the width of the out, sotliat ite edge vwill i'ollow afpatli @Quietly f iiiiiilar to the edge o'ttlie llnished piece.

rlflie templet ll to be used with this delrice inaylbe approximately of' inverted chanynel forint `the inner avall l2 oli the Channel corresponds to the outline tliatis l'ojbe eut and `ie arraiigedto clearftlie' eiiiifaceoir the feed roller While the `outer Wall 13 is uni- `Vlfornily spaced from `tl'ieinnei Wall and eX- tende down Sufiieiently 'far to ailord a driving surlacei'or the 'feed roller. For example 'if a templet is to bev made to out out an irregular shaped aperture ina plate an inner portion le is eut conforming with the outline and mounted upon a suitable base 15. i 'A strip 16 is then eut of considerably greater depth with itsinner edge uniformly spaced rfrom the edge of the guiding teinplet when mounted upon the saine base. For making atraight cuts a straight template lla is `licient pressure to give an eilectiif'e drive and to hold the guiding member against 'the guiding surface. The drive may be af-4 forded by means oi a flexible Sli-al't attached the soclet 1.7 and tumbler gears lil, 19,

20 giving 'forward neiiitral. and reverse driyea to a Worni 2l driving a Worin Wheel Q2 mounted iipen the lowerend of the vfeed roller Spindle 10.

'ltk will be appreciated that particularly vwhen a closed contour ie 'to be cut it is de- Iiinnediately below the guidingv 1,582,033 Y' i Q Sirable to insert the rollers from belou7 into the channel and it is 'further desirable to provide some means of Starting ltiie out oil' the line oi what is to bathe linislied eut So :is

to get the ciit established and the jet iiinetioning properly before actually entering on to this line. ln order to permit of tliiel and also lto permit or some independent vertical .ii'iotion oll the blow-pipe afspecial :torni oli mounting has lioeiidevieed. Aseiiniing that (he parte are all to be mounted at rthe end et al jointed arm, a Vertical spindle L3 is held between Steel pointe Q41, 9A or the like at the end ol" tliearm il.

iii-gia. hand wheel. 2t andaierewed spindle Qi' at thelower end of which the bli'iw-pipe ia vi'iiounted and vertically adjustable by inea-ne olitlie liai'idfwlieel. 'lllie mounting ol. the bloirpipe may fiirtlierlie suoli as: to .gire it a limited-tire Vvertical iiioifeinent from a `wheel running .upon the siii-tace oit tbe Werl?. lllie leed derieee already deaeril'i I mounted 'troni ,a El@ 'tree to rotate on the central parti .oit the reitical spindle 2S. Fixed to the upper rnd oli the spiiid-.eie a ifi their bracket eal-'rying' a Eroi-ni 2S) Viiliicli engages `with a lshort sector or a single rl'oriiied tooth 30 iiedupon Sonie-part rigid with the .intermediatesleeve 28. A reiner,-

al'ile stop 3l ie provided tofliniit the motion' ol vtl'ie seetor either vfrom one` direction or the other aecording to the poeition inV which it is plaeed, ln either position when the Worin is rotated by meanerof the liandle'?. until tlie Stop is reached tlie guiding meniber has been brought into poition `Ver'ticafly above the iet, v y

Thus, i-an aperture is to be out in a plate, the templet isnioiinted immediately over the required position. Pre ely, einall'hole is drilled to ,facilitate st. i ing the out; the toed devices raised up into position relf atir'ely to their supporting Sleeve and are clamped at the correct lieiglitto engage the teiiiplet. The reiiiovaible stop is plafedat the appropriate Side and the bloihpipe swung through a eiiiall are relatively to Ailie guidi-iig roller so as te bring its end ali/ore the liole already drilled in the iiilaie.l fia L@oon as the metal if; auilicient the 'feed engaged and the cui started, tlieii the blow-pipe is grad y ol' the iiiifslied out by means: olf the lia-iid Worin. de eoon as the Stop is rear-,lied the operator knows that the blow-pipe ison the line of the Ciitaiid the 'feed motion is perniitted to continue until the Whole piece .has been ent out. K

Referring neigt to 5 and ci an appliitioii is Shown to a Ytorni o'li. machine which combines the t' l iree movement and ica rigidity obtained by mean@1 of the arm with Vthe possibility oftiltiii the blowpipe to out through the Work at any required ly pre-heated `ually edged to the line At the lower eiid of the Y .spindle and i'ixed to it is a bracket oaiiy- Vir `the cut started.

perilectly delinite angle and otplacing the template away from the blowpipe so as to leave the cutting operation unobstructed. 'lhis is done by mounting the blow-pipe at the end ot the arm 3 as already described and guiding it by means of a carriage 33 itfreely movable on cross-slidesz the blowpipe will then follow the exact path set by a tem` plate situated in any convenient position so long the jet and the guiding member are both delinitely listed in position relatively to the carriage. The utility or this novel mounting is not confined to the use ot any particular form ot template or feed devicev as it is equally applicable to any means whatever ot 'feeding a tinted point in the 'carriage along` a predetermined irregular path. For example a magnetic roller or springepressed rollers or a tracing wheel might be employed. illustrated the carriage 33 runs upon rollers on the transverse slideway 'formed of .rods 8l, 2:34-, mounted in the bracket .f5.3 which in turn runs on rollers upon the longitudinal slideway 36. ably driven througli a `flexible shat't atl ached to socket 1T, tumbler gears 1S, if), Q() etc., and wormwheel 22 on spindle lll corresponding to those already described in connection with Figs. l to 4, but all carried by the carriage 33. The cut is started in a similar manner to that already described, but the hand-operated worm and sector are replaced by an eccentric sleeve 37 integral with the hand lever 88 which .is moved sutiiciently to bring the et to the line of the cut (by movement ot the jet relatively to the carriage after the leed device has been engaged and An additional eccentric sleeve (Si, best seen at Fig. 3, may be used `tor the saine purpose in some cases, this sleeve (S1 also serving to vtree the engagement o if worin ill with worniwheel 22 to allow quick positioning ot' the toed roller anywhere round thc tcmplct. ln this case the automatic ed comes into action as the jet ap- .te i i preaches the line, and the jet is on the lino `when the leed .is fully engaged.' The inachine is shown torming a shaped end to a channel section 39, the position of and supiiortii'ig means tor theteniplet ll being clearly seen in the drawings. lilhcn it is tfhsired to cut through the worl; at an angle the blowpipe heady it tilted to the required degree by adjustingl the clamp all) best seen in lli il, and the blowpipe swim g round to the desired horizontal angular position: this position is maintained (in a manner impossible where the free arm is the only mounting as in VFigs. 1 and 2) by tightening the split collar Lll (Fig. 5) and so fixing the whole blowpipe mounting relatively to the carriage 325.

Referring now to Figs. v7, 8 and 9, the arrangement of the carriage 33 is quite similar to that previously described, thetransverse slideway being shown as a girder 3 itself,i

rlhe feed-roller l? is pretoreV running on the longitudinal slideway 44. llut in this case the pivotally jointed frame is altogether dispensed with and the blowpipe supported trom the carriage by means ol' a slotted arm l5 held to the carriage by a bolt in such a way as to permit ot any desired radial or angular adjustment. A convenient torni of truck 46 carries the driving motor i7 driving the flexible shaft 4S through the belts t9 and 50 and variable speed friction gear box 5l. 'll he machine is represented cutting ventilator holes in the armoured deck 52 ont a ship, the carriage following the path set by the template ll and since the whole arrangen'ient and operation will be quite clear tromlhe description ot the other ttorms already given it is not proposed to go into Yfurther detail. correspoinling reference letters being applied to corrcsponding parts.

lhe dotted portion at the bottom ot Fie, S shows how the same machine may be used. as a portable machine in the yard or shop, the truck 46 then being preferably placed on the ground level represented by the line 53.

Figs. '10, lll and 12 show a moditication of the last form in which rods or tubes form both the transverse slideway 4- 3 and the longitudinal slideway t-l. The template 1l is supported by a bracket t which is also adjustable aloneand may be clamped in any position to arod 55. he machine is shown cutting horn plates out ot' a plate 56 supported on a rotary table 57.

Figs. 13, 14 and l5 show the improved 'leed devices and templates in greater detail and also illustrate how the'carriage may conveniently be adapted for cutting circles. ForI this purpose (as well as tor vertical niovement and adjustment) the teed roller spindle l0 has a tubular portion lll driven by the wornnwheel 22. 'lhis portion lll tern'iinates in a split collet l0 which can be tightened by means ot a nut l0 upon the upper part ot the spindle vIO. lly releasing the nut the feeding and `guiding members can be lowered out ot or raised into engagen'ient with the template or completely removed. For circular cutting they are removed and the arm l carrying the blowpipe is secured to the tubular shaltr by a stud-bolt locked by the` nut 10C. ll/'hen the wornrwheel is then rotated circles ot any desired. radius can be cut, the appropriate cutting speed being obtained from the friction gearbox or other variable speed device. Non-essential parts oil? the carriage lor the purpose of this explanation are omitted trom these views.

I would like it to be understood that l do not wish to confine this invention to the specific forms described but to include alternatives and equivalents within the broad meaning ot the claims. For example the feeding surface may he made elastic by the insertion et a suitable tacing material. in

lill) :las

which case the .roller itself may be rigid and either the roller or the surface, `might be slightly tapered to facilitate engagement; the roller might be provided with a spring pressing it upwardly into position; or the elasticity could be provided in the mounting of a substantially concentric guiding member and feed roller instead of at the surface;

in such a case a magnetic feedroller might in sonic cases be employed, drawingthe guiding member 'rather than pressing it into engageinent.

f l elaimri y 1. In va jet .cuttingmachine means to support the blowpipe at a substantially constant distance frein the surface of the Work piece in combination with a lieeding and guiding device con'iprising a guiding` member, a concentric feeding roller, a template against which the guiding ineinlier is adapted to bear amil a Surface sul-istantially perpendicular to the surface of the work piece and approXi mately eqiiid'istant at all points from the path set by the template and engaged by i the feeding roller, together with means causing pressure to be applied against the contacting surfaces of theguiding member and the feed roller so that each 'pressed against its. path.

ln apparatus for feeding and guiding a cutting blowpipe along a template, a guiding surfacefand a fcedingsurface, a gui-ding member setting thejpatli followed by the blowpipe and relatively resilient roller serving both to kfeed the guiding member along its path and by means of its resiliencev to press the guiding member against itspath7 said guiding member and said rol-ler being so arranged that they move at the saine speed even oncurves of small radius.

3;. ln apparatus for feeding -and'guiding a .ci/itting bloivpipe along a template, a` guiding surface and a `feeding surface, a guiding meinl'ier setting the path followed by the bloWpi-pe, an 'elastic roller servingboth to feed the guiding member along its path and `by means of its elasticity to pressfthe guiding incinber against its path and means to expand the said roller.

41. Apparatus to. drive, guidefandf support cutting blowpipe, comprising the combina tion of an expanding elastic driving roller, a guiding piece and a pivotally jointed arin supporting the blmvpipe. e

5. iiii'iparatus to drive, guide. and support f a cutting bloivni ie, coinirisinff the combi- M 1. l*

nation. of an expanding elastic driving roller,y

a guiding piece and a freely moving carriage on compound slides serving to guide the Apparatusto drive, guide and support aout blow-pipe, comprising the combilnation of an expanding elastic driving roller, aguiding piece and .a pivotally getlier Awith a template, and acairiage serving to guide the bloivpip'e, said driving roller and guiding piece respectively feeding and guiding said carriage along' said teinplate.

ln a jet cutting machine, the improved guiding and yfeeding devicel comprising a cylindrical guiding member, a cylindrical feeding roller concentric therewith, a templatehaving substantially parallelfaces engagin the opposite sides of the said respective concentric members, and means permit ting of si-ifiicient resilience between the points of engagement to give ei'iicient guiding and feeding contact.

tl. ln a iet cutting machine 'the improved guidiigig and feeding device comprising a cyliinlrical feeding roller, a gunfle nienliber having a contar-,t surface and' axially spaced from the feeding roller, a template having guiding and feeding surfaces iliaclng towards one another and spaced apart distance approxinnitely equal to the radius of the fei-iding roller, and resilient vmeans `to press the feeding roller and the Contact sin face of the lguide member' each in a radial members each outwardly :against the lap` proprliate surface, substantially as described;l l

l0. Apparatus for guiding andfeedinga blovvpipe incl;ridingV a substantially invertedchannel-sha led groovefa pin interchangeable to suitthe Width of any particular cut and adapted to engage the short r side of Y said groove', a feedlrollfer vfaced With resilient material, concentric With the pin `and adapted to engage the longer side ofthe groove and means to expand and release the f ,resilient material to adpi-stthepr ssure and release the dei'fice respectively. i

l1. In apparatus for jet cutting, a blowpipe, means to support the bloivpipe in a plane, a template, a guiding device engaging the template, means to niovetthe `iet relatively to the guiding device and a stop coniing into action when the 1nfevi nisly determined line of the cut has been i'eaclied.

l2. ln. apparatifis for-ljet-cuttiug coinprising a cutting jet, a feed roll-er and a inet-lianical feed for said roller, ine-ans to move the jet relatively to saidfeedroller'to bringthe jot on to the line ofthe out, said meansbeing kadapted1simultaneously `to engage the said mechanical feed ofv said 'feeding roller as said jet reachessaid line. j

13. ln apparatus for jet-cutting, the coinbination of a bloivpipe, means to guide said l il 0 blowpipe along any predetermined course, and a ifeed roller, said feed roller including an upper and a lower flange With a rubber ring` between them and means to press the tWo flanges towards one another to cause the rubber to bulge for the purpose Set forth.

ll. il. jet cutting machine lincliuling a pivotally 'jointed frame supporting a blowpipe but leaving it free to move in a plane7 a mounting pivotally Supporting said iframe7 cross-slides, a carriage freely movable on said cross-slides relatively to the said mounting ot the said frame, means to tix the position oi" the et relatively to the carriage, and means to feed a fixed point on the: earA riage along a predetermined irregular path.

l5. A jet cutting, machine accordingl to claim 14', and having means to incline the blowpipe at a predetermined angle and to fix the inclination relatively to the carriage.

16. In apparatus for feeding and guiding a bloWpipe along an irregular course7 a guiding surface settling said course, a feeding` surface, a guiding member engaging said guiding surface, and a feeding member engaging said feeding surface, the arrangement being?r such that the velocity et the Said guiding member is always equal to the Velocity o'i said feeding member irrespective ot the irregularity of said course, and that the surface ot contact between said .feedingv Surface and Said Yleerling member is subetantially perpendicular to the plane of said course so that said velocity is definitely de terminable.

ln testimony Whereol l aliix my Signature.

ALFRED GDFREY. 

